US Navy Birthday
United States Navy!!
The United States Navy was created on October 13, 1775 during the American Revolution, and today the Navy celebrates its 237th birthday. In order to celebrate this wonderful occasion the Vietnam Archive would like to present a few Navy items from our collections.
Please enjoy the materials and help us to congratulate all of the Navy personnel past and present on their big day.
Photographs
Secretary of the Navy Paul F. Ignatius inspects a Navy Seal Team at Binh Thuy Navy Base, South Vietnam, Headquarters for Navy game warden forces. The seals, or sea air land teams, are trained specialists in unconventional warfare
(Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. Collection [VA017892])
Sixty-four boat task force for SVN Navy; A task-force of 64 armed assault landing craft was transferred to the South Vietnamese Navy in Saigon June 25. The ceremony was an important transition in the accelerated American effort to shift a larger share of the military war effort to the Vietnamese Armed Forces. This transfer of equipment, valued at more than 18 million, climated several months of planning and is the largest single turnover of military equipment of the war.
(Douglas Pike Photograph Collection [VA002524])
The U.S. Navy minesweeping boat (MSC-17) sweeps the Long Tao River to ensure that no Viet Cong mines endanger ships bound for the Port of Saigon. The boat is a Unit of Detachment Alpha of Mine Squadron Eleven homebased at Long Beach, California. A Navy minesweeper, part of Task Force 116, sweeps the Long Tao River in the Rung Sat Special Zone.
(Charles E. Rogers Collection [VA049376])
Oral Histories
Official United States Navy Commander Naval Forces Vietnam Photographer Patch.
(Julius Graw Collection [1581museum2856])
OH0518 - William Culotta
Bill Culotta describes his experiences in Vietnam serving in the U.S. Navy as a member of the Seabees.
OH0446 - Helen Brooks
USN. Helen-Louise Brooks was born in Lowell MA and graduated from high school there in 1936. She attended nursing school at St John's Hospital in Lowell, graduating in 1939 and joined the US Navy Nurse Corps in 1944. Helen served at Charleston SC 1944-45 and was assigned with the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps at Camp Lejeune NC in 1945. She served as an operating room supervisor on the hospital ship USS Consolation in Korea and Japan, 1950-52. Other postings included Pensacola FL; San Diego CA; Yokuska, Japan; Portsmouth VA; and Key West FL. Helen served in Vietnam 1968-69 as Chief Nurse at the Fleet Support Activity facility in Danang. She also served as Chief Nurse at the naval hospital in Charleston SC before leaving active service in 1971. Helen then worked at a hospital in Panama before retiring to the San Diego CA area.
OH0519 - Cornelius (Neil) J. Carmody
Cornelius "Neil" Carmody (Captain, USN, ret.) discusses his experiences in the US Navy. Carmody was captain of the USS Bordelon, as well as an LST, and served as Naval attaché in Saigon, 1974-1975. Carmody was one of the last members of the US Navy to evacuate Saigon in April 1975.
Moving Images
1429VI1683 - U.S.S. Jennings County, LST 846 [1966]
"Steve Viet 1966 LST 846 Me & helo, Combat Roll 3" Vietnam, 1966. U.S.S. Jennings County (LST 846) Steve Watson, helicopter and combat. U.S.S. Jennings County LST 846, with HAL 3 Helo and River Section 512 embarked. It was in the lower part of the Bassac River. [Stephen Watson Collection]
Artifacts
Navy blue cloth jacket worn by Admiral Zumwalt. The jacket has a United States Sixth fleet patch and a name plate with E. R. Zumwalt Jr. Admiral USN, C. N. O. sewn to the proper left front Panel of the jacket.
(John & Anna Mays Collection (USS Sand Lance Association) [2483museum4178])
Vietnam Center & Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive
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Address
Texas Tech University, Box 41041, Lubbock, TX 79409 -
Phone
(806)742-9010 -
Email
vnca@ttu.edu